Hyderabad: Noted Kuchipudi dance exponent, Shobha Naidu, died in the wee hours of Wednesday at a private hospital in Hyderabad. Reportedly, she was undergoing treatment for neurological illness for the past few days.
Naidu was diagnosed with brain hemorrhage and was undergoing treatment for the same. Unfortunately, she was affected with Covid and breathed her last on October 14 at 1:44 am, reports said.
Who is Shobha Naidu?
Born in 1956 at Anakapalli in Andhra Pradesh, Shobha Naidu was among the foremost Kuchipudi dancers of India and an outstanding disciple of the renowned master Vempati Chinna Satyam.
She mastered the technique of Kuchipudi and began dancing lead roles in dance-dramas at a young age. Shobha Naidu had given stage performances not only in India but across many parts of the world including US, UK, Dubai, Turley, Hongkong, Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba.
Awards and recognitions
- Shobha Naidu was awarded the civilian honour of Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2001
- In 1991, she was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi award.
- Naidu was awarded the title of ‘Nritya Choodamani’ by the Sri Krishna Gana Sabha of Madras.
- She also served as the Principal for the 40 year old Kuchipudi Art Academy, Hyderabad and trained more than 1,500 students from India and abroad.
Shobha Naidu is survived by husband a retired IAS officer Arjun Rao and daughter Sai Shivaranjani and many disciples across the globe.
Ever since the news Shobha Naidu’s passing away came in, condolences have been pouring in on social media. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao also conveyed his condolences to members of the bereaved family. Several celebs including Tollywood star Chiranjeevi and people from the dance community have been expressing their grief over her demise.
Her death has created a void in the world of Kuchipudi that can never be filled again!